CHAPTER VIII
ADVENTURE OF BILLY DURGIN, SLEUTH
I spoke to Solon of Billy Durgin, whose peculiar, not to say mysterious,
behavior I had been compelled to notice. I had first observed him that
afternoon as we passed the City Hotel. Through the window of the little
wash-room, where I saw that he was polishing a pair of shoes, he had
winked at me from over his task, and then erected himself to make a
puzzling gesture with one hand. Again, while we stood dream-bound before
the window of the corner drug store, he had sent me a low whistle from
across the street, following this with another puzzling arm wave;
whereat he had started toward us. But instead of accosting me, as I had
thought he meant to, he rushed by, with eyes rigidly ahead and his thin
jaws grimly set. Throughout the stroll he haunted us, adhering to this
strange line of conduct. I would turn a corner, to find Billy apparently
waiting for me a block off. Then would follow a signal of no
determinable import, after which he would walk swiftly past me as if
unaware of my presence. Once I started to address him, but was met with
"_Not a word_!" hissed at me in his best style from between clenched
teeth.
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